Polymerization of acrylonitrile



Patented May 31, 1949 P OLYMERIZATION OF ACBY LONITRHJE Stuart A. Harrison, Stow, Ohio, asslgnor to The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York No Drawing. Application July 13, 1946,

Serial No. 683,423

2 Claims. (01. 260-88.7')

This invention relates to stable aqueous dispersions or latices containing dispersed finelydivided particles of hard synthetic resins such as polyacrylonitrile and to a method of preparing nitrile, in an aqueous emulsion comprising, in

addition to the emulsified monomeric material,

, the same, and is particularly concerned with the 5 an emulsified liquid, chlorine-containing organic preparation of such latices by the polymerizacompound which is chemically unchanged under tion in aqueous emulsion: of, a monomeric matethe conditions of the polymerization (that is, one rial predominantly comprising acrylonitrile or which does not polymerize or otherwise react other nitrile of an. alpha-methylene aliphatic during the polymerization) ina concentration of monocarboxylic acid. about 10 to 100% by weight preferably 20 to 60% Although the polymerization of acrylonitrile by weight, based on the weight of monomeric in aqueous emulsion in the presence of an emulmaterial. sifying agent such as soap or the like has long A preferred chlorine-containing organic combeen known to the art, it has not heretofore been pound of the character described is ethylene dipossible in general to produce the polymeric chloride (1,2-dichloroethane) since it has been product in the form of a stable aqueous disfound that nitrile resin latices of best properties persion or latex. Rather the polymeric product are obtained when this compound is used. Other has tended to separate from the emulsion during chlorine-containing organic liquids which are the polymerization even when a relatively high chemically unchanged during the polymerization proportion ofemulsifying agent is used, and hence and which also may be employed include other is secured in the form of a, granular mass or chlorine derivatives of paraflin hydrocarbons (i. powder.- While such a granular polymer is usee., compounds wherein one or more'of the hydrofui for some purposes, such as for molding, its ingens of a parafiin hydrocarbon is replaced by solubility in mostsolvents and its hard resinousv chlorine) such as carbon tetrachloride, chloronature prevents its being used for many other form, trichloroethanes, tetrachloroethanes, butyl purposes such as for forming films and coatings, chlorides, hexyl chlorides and the like; chlorine and in other applications where it is necessary to derivatives of cyclic hydrocarbons (compounds apply the polymer in fluid form. wherein one or more ofthe hydrogens of a cyclic vI have now discovered, however, a method hydrocarbon are replaced by chlorine) such as whereby acrylonitrile and other nitriles of alphachlorobenzenes, 'dichlorobenzenes, cyclohexyl methylene aliphatic monocarboxylic acids such chloride and the like; and chlorine derivatives as methacrylonitrile, ethacrylonitrile, alphaof ethers (compounds whereinone or more of the chloro acrylonitrile or the like, either alone or in hydrogens of an ether is replaced by chlorine) admixture with each other or with lesser amounts such as beta, beta'-dichloro-diethyl ether, alpha oi. other polymerizable compounds, may be polyand beta chloroethyl ethers, dichloroether and the merized in aqueous emulsion to yield a stable lalike. Organi chlorine-containing compounds tex containing dispersed, finely-divided particles which are polymerlzable such as vinyl and vinylof the hard resinous nitrile polymer. Since the idene chloride and chlorine-containing comparticles in such a latex remain dispersed when pounds which are highly reactive such as acetyl the latex is allowed, to stand or when subjected 40 chloride etc., however, are not operative in' this to handling andapplying operations, it becomes invention since they are chemically changed unpossible to utilize the nitrile polymer in applicader the conditions of the emulsion polymerization tionswhere resin in dispersed form is required. of the nitrile; The chlorine compounds em- One application of particular importance conplayed, in general, are'liquids (at ordinary temsists in preparing polymeric materialscomprisperatures) which contain a chlorine atom atiug a major proportion'oi a synthetic rubber and tached to a carbon atomv and, in addition t a minor proportion of hard resinous nitrile polyatoms of carbon and chlorine, no atoms other mer, as by mixing a. synthetic rubber latex with than hydrogen and ether oxygen atoms, and

a the latex of nitrile polymer and then coagulatwhich are free from olefinic and acetylenic ing, in the manner more fully described in the doublebonds. copending application of Stuart A. Harrison and In the practice of the invention the monomeric Walter E. Brown, Serial No.'671,89B, filed May material tobe polymerized, and the chlorinecon- 23, 1946. s taining organic compound are firstemulsiiied in The method ofthis invention consists in polyan aqueous medium with the aidof an emulsifymerizing a monomerlc material Predominantly mg agent, preferably a fatty acid. soapsuch as ammonium oleate. sodium stearate, sodium laurate or the like. The amount 01' soap used may be varied from as little as required to eflect emulsiflcation to as much as desired, but is ordinarily within the range or about to 80 parts,'preferably to 60 parts, for each 100 parts of the monomeric material. Similarly, the amount of ,water present may be varied from that required to form an aqueous emulsion (i. e., one in which water is the continuous phase) to as much as desired, but is preferably within the range or about 450 to 700 parts for each 100 parts of monomeric material.

' Other materials necessary or desirablefor the polymerization may also be added to the emulsion containing the monomeric materia1 and the chlorine containing compound. Thus, a

I small amount of a polymerization initiator or catalyst such as potassium persulfate, sodium perborate, hydrogen peroxide, benzoyl peroxide, potassium ferricyanide, or the like is preferably included in the emulsion, as is customary in the art of conducting emulsion polymerizations.

Other materials to serve some special purpose during the polymerization may also be included in the emulsion. For example, it has been found that the size of the dispersed nitrile resin particles in the latex obtained is dependent to a considerable extent upon the particular recipe employed; accordingly, it it is desired to prepare a latex in which the size of the particles is unusually small the use of small amounts of p-methoxy phe'nyl-diazo-thio (Z-naphthyl ether), or similar 5 to by weight of resinous nitrile polymer dispersed in the aqueous phase in the form of small particles less than about 0.1 micron in average diameter.- The latices are stable on standing and on mechanical agitation and may be used as such in numerous applications. For example,

the latex may be used, after compounding with plasticizers etc. if desired, to daaosit nitrile resin coatings on fabrics or paper or the like. .Alternatively, it may be coagulated in tliausual man- I ner to produce the nitrile resin in solid 'form..

v The practice of the invention may further be illustrated by the following examples in which all parts are by weight.

Example 1 100 parts of acrylonitrile and parts of ethylene. dichloride are emulsified in an aqueous soap solution containing 600 parts of water and 60.

parts of fatty acid soap. After adding 0.6 part or potassium persulfate, the emulsion is agitated at 50C. for about 48 hours whereupon about 92% of the acrylonitrile is polymerized to form hard resinous polyacrylonitrile. The product is a fluid translucent latex containingabout 12.5% by weight of polyacrylonitrile in the form of small vdiazo thioether, and of triisobutyl mercaptan, or

ameter dispersed in the aqueous phase. When the procedure is repeated, however, in the absence of ethylene dichloride, a latex is'not obtained, despite the high soap concentration, but

rather the emulsion coagulates during the polymerization and the polyacrylonitrile is obtained in the form 01' granules'which separate from the aqueous phase.

Example 2 Example 1 is repeated using only 10 parts oi. fatty acid soap in place oil 60 parts. A latex similar to that of Example 1 is obtained.

Examples 3 to 9 In these examples 100 parts of acrylonitrile and various parts of various chlorine-containing organic compounds are emulsified with an aqueous solution containing 600 parts of water, 10 parts of fatty acid soap and 0.6 part of potassium persulfate, and are then agitated for about 3 days at 50 C. The chlorine-containing, compounds utilized and their proportions are as follows:

Parts Example 3-p-Chloro benzene 50 Example 4-p-Chloro benzene 30 Example 5p-Chloro benzene 10 Example 6Carbon tetrachloride 50 Example 7-Ch1oroform 50 Example 8-Beta-beta dichloro diethyl ether Example 9n-Butyl chloride In each example a latex is obtained, there being only insignificant amounts, it any, or precoagulated 'polyacrylonitrile present. In the absence of the chlorine-containing compound, however, all of the polyacrylonitrile secured is precoagulated and no latex is obtained.

Example 10 An aqueous emulsion is prepared from 100 parts of methacrylonitrile, 50 parts of ethylene dichlo- I ride, 30 parts of fatty acid soap, 0.6 part of potassium persulfate and 490 partsof water, andv the emulsion is agitated at 50 C. for about 44 hours. A non-viscous fluid latex or resinous polymethacrylonitrile is thus obtained. en the example is repeated using other nitriles oi alpha-methylene aliphatic monocarboxylic acids such as alpha-chloro-acrylonitrile, alpha-methoxy-acrylonitrile, alpha-ethyl-acrylonitrile and the like, similar latices are secured.

Example 11 v Example 10is repeatedusing 50 parts of acrylonitrile and 50 parts of methacrylonitrile in place of 100 parts of methacrylonitrile. A'latex of a resinous acrylonitrile methacrylonitrile copolymer is secured.

The above examples illustrate the preparation of latices from monomeric materials consisting exclusively of nitriles of alpha-methylene aliphatic monocar-boxylic acids.

acrylate and methyl methacrylate; vinyl chloride,

vinylidene chloride; diethyl maleate and the like,

o o all of which are unsaturated polymerizable comparticles 01 about 0.08 micron in average dipounds containing a single oleflnic double bond.

The invention, however, is not limited to thistype' of monomeric material but also includes the preparation of- Polymerizable compounds containing more than one oleflnic double bond such as butadiene-1,3, chloroprene, etc. may also be present in minor proportions in admixture with the nitrile in the monomeric material to be polymerized, if desired.

The following Example 12 illustrates the practice of the invention utilizing, as the monomeric material, a mixture of a nitrile with a copolymerizable compound. This example also illustrates the preparation of latices of extremely small particle size by the use of special materials in the emulsion.

Example 12 An aqueous emulsion is prepared containing 50 parts of acrylonitrile and parts of styrene as the monomeric, polymerizable materials, 40 parts of ethylene dichloride, 300'parts of water, 15 parts of fatty acid soap, 0.3 part of potassium ferricyanide, 0.35 part oi. triisobutyl mercaptan and 0.2 part of p-methoxy-phenyl diazo thio(2-naphhence it is not intended that the invention be limited to the examples but only as required by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. The method or preparing a latex containing dispersed, finely-divided particles or polyacrylonitrile which comprises polymerizing acrylonltrile in an aqueous emulsion containing from 10 to 100% by weight based on the acrylonitrile, of ethylene dichloride.

2. The method of preparing a latex containing dispersed, finely-divided particles of polyacrylonitrile which comprises polymerizing acrylonitrile in an aqueous emulsion containing, for each 100 parts of acrylonitrile, from 20 to parts of ethylene dichloride, from 10 to parts of fatty acid soap, as the emulsifying agent, and from 450 to 700 parts of water.

STUART A. HARRISON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Nov. 14, 1945 

